Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, believes that India is the most competitive market in the world and he sees a lot of room for Indian carriers to use bilateral traffic rights in many countries.

“We are going to double in size…India is the most competitive market in the world. Value-conscious consumers are present in all market segments and we must respond to them. If we can address the Indian market, which is cost and value conscious, we should be able to compete globally,” he told CNBC-TV18 at the Global Summit leadership in Mumbai on November 14.

IndiGo, which operates more than 2,000 daily flights to 122 destinations – 88 domestic and 34 international with a fleet of more than 382 aircraft (as of October 2024) – wants to transport 200 million people annually in five years, Elbers said.

He said the airline serves 350,000 customers daily, 95% of whom are Indians. “We have the opportunity to build in India for the world. The aspiration is to add more international flights. Reflecting on India’s prospects, he said that for too long, Indian aviation has been outsourced. Even though India has the seventh largest airline in the world, it is not the seventh largest aviation brand in the world.

He believes that there is ample scope for Indian carriers to fully utilize bilateral traffic rights in many countries. “Thailand is opening its borders. This made it easier for Indians to obtain visas and allowed the arrival of tourists. There is a huge travel potential for Indians and for foreigners to come to India. »

The IndiGo CEO believes that India should have airlines that match the size, scale and potential of the country. “The creation of large airlines through consolidation is happening in India as it is everywhere in the world.”

He also highlighted that IndiGo’s first flight with business class seats began this morning, 18 years after its inception in 2006.

The first business class flights in India are set to operate on the popular Delhi-Mumbai route and the airline plans to operate six daily flights. Each of these flights will feature 12 business class seats, for a total of 72 business class seats across the six daily flights.

IndiGo has set a flat rate of ₹18,018 for all business class seats, thereby positioning itself competitively in the market.